Shaggy Lame Fox Syndrome in Pribilof Island Arctic Foxes (Alopex lagopus pribilofensis), Alaska

A previously unrecognized condition is described in wild free-ranging Pribilof arctic foxes ( Alopex lagopus pribilofensis) from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, USA. This condition is called shaggy lame fox syndrome (SLFS) denoting the primary clinical signs first observed. Criteria used to suspect SLFS on gross examination included emaciation, failure to shed winter pelage and moderate to severe polyarthritis. Criteria used to confirm SLFS histologically included polyarthritis (characterized by lymphoplasmacytic synovitis, tenosynovitis, bursitis, periosteal bony proliferation, and periarticular lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis) and systemic leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Other histological lesions often found included renal cortical infarcts, myocarditis with myocardial infarcts, lymphoplasmacytic meningitis, lymphoplasmacytic cuffing of meningeal and a few cerebral vessels, and cavitating infarcts of the brainstem and thalamus. The cause of SLFS is not known at this time; however, the gross and histological lesions suggest that the cause of SLFS may be a bacterial polyarthritis with a secondary immune-mediated vasculitis. These lesions are consistent with changes described with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in domestic dogs; E. rhusiopathiae was identified from the synovial membrane of a swollen stifle joint and the kidney from one fox using real-time polymerase chain reaction and with culture from a fox that had gross and histological lesions of SLFS. Therefore, E. rhusiopathiae is a possible etiological agent for SLFS.

Individual and colony-specific wintering areas of Pacific northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis)

Seabird mortality associated with longline fishing in the eastern Bering Sea occurs mainly from September to May, with northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) comprising the majority (60%) of the bycatch. Along the west coast of North America, winter dieoffs of fulmars may be increasing in frequency and magnitude, the most severe on record being a wreck that peaked in October–November 2003. We deployed satellite transmitters on fulmars from the four main Alaska colonies and tracked individuals for up to 2 years. Fulmars from Hall Island (northern Bering Sea) moved to Russian coastal waters after breeding, while Pribilof Island fulmars (southeastern Bering Sea) remained relatively sedentary year-round. Birds from Chagulak Island (eastern Aleutians) preferred passes between the Aleutian Islands in winter or foraged widely over deep waters of the central Bering Sea and North Pacific. Fulmars from the Semidi Islands (western Gulf of Alaska) migrated directly to waters of the California Current. Individuals from St. George Island (Pribilofs) and Chagulak were consistent in the places that they visited in two successive winters. The Pribilof Islands population is most affected by winter longlining for groundfish, whereas the Semidi Islands colony sustains most of the natural mortality that occurs off Washington, Oregon, and California.

Biennial Reproductive Cycle of Blue King Crab, Paralithodes platypus, at the Pribilof Island, Alaska and Comparison to a Congener, P. camtschatica

Pribilof Island blue king crab (BKC; Paralithodes platypus) were sampled by beam trawl in May and August of 1983 and April 1984 to determine timing of reproductive events. Biennial reproduction was found to be the result of slow ovarian growth in large, muciparous females, while smaller primiparous females are often able to spawn in two consecutive years. Mating and egg extrusion occur in late March to early May and eggs hatch in mid-April of the following year, consequently, the embryonic period and rate of development is approximately 12 mo, similar to that of its congener the red king crab (RKC; P. camtschatica). Comparison of the reproductive output of the two species revealed that despite the 2 yr ovarian cycle, BKC only produce 20–30% more dry egg mass at any carapace length than do RKC, a substantially smaller difference than previously calculated. One year after molt, females of both species are not significantly different in dry body weight over a size range of 100–140 mm carapace length, but RKC have produced about three times more dry ovarian weight than BKC of comparable size, suggesting that biennial reproduction in BKC may be the result of energetic limitations.

BERM BREAKWATER FAILURE AT ST. PAUL HARBOR, ALASKA

St. Paul Island, Alaska, is located at 50°10'N latitude and 170°15'W longitude in the south central Bering Sea. It is the most northward and largest island of the Pribilof Island group. The area of the island is about 70 square miles (180 square kilometers), with the city and harbor of St. Paul located at a cove (Village Cove) on the southern coastline. The Pribilof Islands are of volcanic origin and are generally hilly with much of the coastline consisting of precipitous rocky cliffs. Moderate to strong winds are characteristic throughout the year, causing the island to be treeless. It is predominantly covered with grasses, sedges, and wild flowers. The Pribilofs are a natural haven for a variety of flora and fauna. More than a quarter of a million seabirds nest each year along the coastal cliffs. About two-thirds of the world's population of northern fur seals migrate annually to the Pribilofs for mating purposes. The Pribilof Island area of the Bering Sea is also one of the most abundant and richest seafood grounds in the world. Due to a recent moratorium, the harvest of fur seals in the Pribilofs has been discontinued. In order to maintain existing cultural and economic resources, the City of St. Paul has elected to construct a harbor facility at Village Cove to provide services to commercial fishing vessels operating in the central Bering Sea. The maximum natural water depth in the Village Cove area is 26 feet (7.9m) relative to mean lower low tide datum (MLLWO.0). Mean higher high tide level is 3.2 feet (lm) above MLLW, with extreme high tide during storm periods being estimated at between 5.0 and 6.0 feet (1.5 to 1.8m) above MLLW. Waves approaching from the southwest sector have the most effect on St. Paul Harbor. During the winter months, breaking waves with heights of 25 feet (7.6m) and 13-16s periods can be expected at Village Cove several times each year.